Business improves in Japan's tertiary sector

09:58, December 16, 2009

Activity in Japan's tertiary sector posted a 0.5 percent rise in September, to stand at a seasonally adjusted rate of 96.8, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on Wednesday.

Industries leading the increase in activity included information and communications, electricity, gas, heat supply and water, and learning support, which grew by 5.6 percent, 3.2 percent and 2.5 percent respectively.

There were, however, sectors that declined in September, including scientific research, professional and technical services, which declined by 6.4 percent. Living related and personal services and amusement services also saw its figures decline by 2.9 percent as the summer ended and children wend back to school, while miscellaneous services such as automobile repair also fell by 1.4 percent.

Figures released last month had been met with disappointment, after they posted a 0.5 percent decline after three months of increases,

Japan has been grappling with an economy that is attempting to climb out of a downturn over the last few months, and the figures will be welcomed as a sign that other sectors are beginning to rise in tandem with the manufacturing sector, which has been improving since the summer.